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Best National Parks in India
India is home to most of the world's wild tigers, the one-horned rhino and the last Asiatic lions. These national parks and wildlife sanctuaries offer the best chances of seeing them, along with some of the country's finest birding.
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Top 18 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India
The best national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India include Ranthambore, Jim Corbett National Park, Kabini, Bandipur National Park and Bandhavgarh National Park. Here are all 18, ranked, with when to go.
Ranthambore, Rajasthan
Tigers among the ruins of a hill fort
Ranthambore National Park is one of India's best places to spot tigers in the wild, its dry deciduous forest dotted with lakes, ruins, and the dramatic Ranthambore Fort rising above the canopy.
- Wildlife
Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand
India's oldest national park
Jim Corbett National Park is India’s oldest national park, established in 1936 as Hailey National Park and renamed in 1957 after Jim Corbett.
- Wildlife
Kabini, Karnataka
Elephants and leopards by the backwaters
Kabini National Park, part of the larger Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, is Karnataka's most coveted wildlife destination, known for its forests and grasslands along the Kabini River backwaters.
- Wildlife
Bandipur National Park
The road to Bandipur changes slowly. One moment you are passing roadside cafés and small towns, and the next the forest quietly begins taking over everything around you. The air feels cooler. Mobile signals weaken. Giant trees lean over the highway.
Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Tiger country in Central India
Bandhavgarh National Park is a 448 square kilometre tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh’s Umaria district, renowned for having one of the highest tiger densities in India, with around 135 tigers in the core area, the highest density by area in the world.
- Wildlife
Tadoba National Park
Tadoba National Park, officially known as the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, is Maharashtra’s oldest and largest national park, spreading across 625 square kilometres of dry deciduous forest.
Gir National Park, Gujarat
The last home of the Asiatic lion
Gir National Park is a 1,412-square-kilometer protected forest spread across Gujarat’s Junagadh and Amreli districts. It is globally famous as the last natural habitat of the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica).
- Wildlife
Sundarbans
A slow wooden boat cuts through narrow tidal creeks where the water mirrors twisted roots and dense green canopies. The Sundarbans mangrove forest feels alive in a way few landscapes do.
Dudhwa National Park
Dudhwa National Park is a 680-square-kilometer tiger reserve located in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district along the Nepal border.
Bharatpur
Bharatpur is a former princely state capital in Rajasthan, located at an elevation of 183 meters and about 55 kilometers west of Agra.
Sultanpur National Park
Sultanpur National Park is a 143-hectare wetland reserve in Haryana’s Gurgaon district, about 45 km from Delhi. Once a seasonal shallow lake, it was declared a bird sanctuary in 1972 on the recommendation of Peter Jackson.
Simlipal National Park
Simlipal National Park is a 2,750 square kilometre tiger reserve located in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, answering the common query of Simlipal national park in which district.
Betla National Park
Betla National Park is a 226 square kilometre national park located in Jharkhand’s Latehar district and forms part of the larger Palamau Tiger Reserve, which spans about 979 square kilometres.
Satkosia
Satkosia Tiger Reserve is one of India’s most remote and virgin protected areas covering 964 square kilometers of forest in Odisha’s Angul district. It lies along a dramatic 22-kilometer gorge where the Mahanadi River cuts through the Eastern Ghats.
Chilika Lake
Chilika Lake spans about 1,100 square kilometres along the Odisha coast and ranks as the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia.
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is Karnataka's most celebrated bird sanctuary, a cluster of six islands in the Kaveri river. The Ranganathittu bird sanctuary distance from Mysore is just 20 km, making it a popular day trip.
Biligiriranga Hills
The Biligiriranga Hills are a forested mountain range in Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar district at about 1,279 metres and form a rare ecological bridge between two major mountain systems.
Dandeli
Dandeli is a small town in Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada district at about 471 metres elevation, located roughly 130 kilometres east of Goa on the banks of the Kali River.
From our guides
Safaris and wildlife parks in India
Best rated first, each with its own guide.
- Tala Zone Safari, Bandhavgarh National Park
- Great Himalayan National Park, Tirthan Valley
- Moharli Safari Zone, Tadoba National Park
- Sattal Bird Hides, Sattal
- Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur
- Gir Lion Safari, Gir National Park
- Kabini Jeep Safari, Kabini National Park
- Valley of Flowers National Park, Valley of Flowers
- Dhikala Zone, Jim Corbett National Park
- Ranganathittu Boat Safari, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
- BRT Tiger Reserve Safari, Biligiriranga Hills
- Sundarbans Boat Safari, Sundarbans
- Simlipal Forest Safari, Simlipal National Park
- Kolara Gate Safari Zone, Tadoba National Park
- Satpada Dolphin Safari, Chilika Lake
- Dudhwa Safari, Dudhwa National Park
- Kabini Boat Safari, Kabini National Park
- Bandipur Jeep Safari, Bandipur National Park
- Tiger Safari in Ranthambore, Ranthambore
- Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Binsar
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FAQs
Which are the best national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India?
The best national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India are Ranthambore, Jim Corbett National Park, Kabini, Bandipur National Park, Bandhavgarh National Park, Tadoba National Park, Gir National Park, Sundarbans, Dudhwa National Park and Bharatpur, the top 10 of the 18 on this list.
What are the safaris and wildlife parks in India?
Among those in our guides, the best rated are Tala Zone Safari in Bandhavgarh National Park, Great Himalayan National Park in Tirthan Valley, Moharli Safari Zone in Tadoba National Park, Sattal Bird Hides in Sattal, Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur and Gir Lion Safari in Gir National Park.
When is the best time to visit national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India?
Most of the places on this list are at their best from October to April. Each one's own best months are shown on its card.
How do I plan a trip to one of these places?
Open its destination guide with Explore, browse its packages where it has them, or use Plan trip to build an itinerary with our trip planner.
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